Did you happen to catch the story this past week about Michigan high school students saying some incredibly racist things on video? If you didn’t here it is. Warning: It is not pretty.
One talks about branding and killing black people, while another says he would reinstate slavery, according to WDIV. Another said they should send black people “back to Africa,” according to the Detroit Free Press.
The school, Grosse Pointe South High School, did the appropriate thing.
In an e-mail Wednesday to students, parents and teachers, South High School Principal Moussa Hamka described a video circulating on social media as “deplorable” and a violation of the school’s code of conduct.
“Unfortunately, over the weekend a handful of Grosse Pointe teens, including three South students, chose to record a video that included offensive, racist statements regarding African Americans,” Hamka said in his e-mail.
"Immediately after being made aware of the situation, South administration began contacting students and families (and) making appropriate decisions regarding consequences for those involved, including student separations from school," the e-mail said.
My first thought was: Where did these kids learn this garbage from? What could possibly make them think and talk this way? Then I did the one thing that I say I will never do. I read the comments. What a mistake that turned out to be. Some highlights (or should I say lowlights) are below (spelling and grammar have not been edited):
“South High School Principal Moussa Hamka. What the hell kind of a name is that?”
“This is what happens when you try to bath young people in white guilt. They begin to rebel against it. When there are as many white on black crimes as there are.......and schools continue to insist that it's the other way around.....despite any evidence that it is.......the smarter kids will eventually figure it out.......and it will piss them off. We've been trying to make amends for slavery a long long time. We all need to move on now......or else we risk reverting back.”
“The only just rearations for slavery is deportation to Africa.”
“Last time I checked these white students have 1st Amendment protections just as the "Black Lives Matters" organization. It appears they may have a legal case of discrimination against them.”
“Liberals and BLM created this mess with their anti-white agenda. Now deal with it.”
“What happens when you tell people over and over they are racist: they believe you.
These kids have seen the result of the social planners and they were not impressed.
Don't be surprised.”
“You can not publicly celebrate garbage like #Blacklivesmatter and constantly promote white-guilt/shame in curriculum and pop culture media and not expect a backlash like this. You notice there never is any true attempt at racial dialogue and understanding because to do so requires Both parties to admit fault and accept blame for the deterioration of relations. And I've never heard a black ever show embarrassment or feel apologetic for how they are perceived or the continued economic benefits/perks they receive 52 years after the Civil Rights Act of '64”
“If the tables were turned and it was black kids saying "kill the white people", the principal wouldn't said a dam thing about it.”
The comments continue on like this, full of hatred. The depth of misunderstanding of First Amendment rights is stupefying. While the U.S. government cannot restrict speech like this, there are consequences for such vile words. It should also be pointed out that the Supreme Court has given school administrators fairly wide latitude in regards to the First Amendment.
This is the question of speech which is offensive to prevailing community standards by reason of being vulgar, lewd, indecent, racist, or otherwise inappropriate in a school setting.In Bethel School District v. Fraser, the Supreme Court recognized the special responsibility of the public schools to inculcate moral values and to teach students the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior.
This bears repeating: The Supreme Court recognized the special responsibility of public schools to inculcate moral values and teach students the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior.
After reading the comments on this particular story, that special responsibility is even more understandable. These kids, who are born without any idea of racial constructs, are taught these racist behaviors by adults, likely their parents and grandparents.
So it falls upon the schools to teach kids not to be racist assholes—because their parents surely won’t.